The present invention relates generally to blinds used for hunting. Specifically, this invention relates to a boat supported blind for hunting waterfowl that can be easily folded down for transport to and from a hunting location and readily set up.
Hunters have been pursuing waterfowl, either for food or for sport, for a great many years. Often times, waterfowl are found at locations only accessible by boat. Boats, however do not readily blend into the environment. As such, hunters sitting in boats are easily recognized by waterfowl, and thus avoided by the potential game. Traditionally, successfully hunting waterfowl by boat has involved building hunting blinds at the location and then maneuvering the boat behind the blind. Such blind building is difficult and time consuming. Further, the blind must be rebuilt at every new hunting location. To solve these and other problems inherent in stationary blinds, portable hunting blinds have been developed.
During the past few years, portable hunting blinds have become increasingly popular to waterfowl hunters, especially duck hunters. Many hunters who typically use stationary blinds also own small, flat bottomed boats for transportation to and from hunting locations. Numerous attempts have been made to develop a portable duck blind that may be attached to a conventional boat owned by a hunter, or with which a hunter would likely be familiar.
Hunters typically desire a portable blind that can be easily set up, taken down, and transported to and from the hunting location. In addition, hunters require a full range in which to shoot at waterfowl. Further, hunters desire a relatively inexpensive, readily useable blind that is adaptable for use with a variety of boats.
Some available portable hunting blinds provide an unobstructed opportunity to shoot from horizon to horizon and in all directions. Others are easy to install, easy to collapse, and easy to set up again. Still others are adaptable to many different sized boats. However, no available blind satisfactory fulfills all these criteria. Accordingly, a need exists for an improved portable boat blind that solves these and other deficiencies in the prior art. Of course, the present invention may be used in a multitude of boat situations where similar performance capabilities are required.
The present invention provides a blind that is cost-effective, easily and securely attached to a boat, provides functionality for the hunter, and which solves the problems raised or not solved by existing designs.
The blind has a framework and a cover. The framework has several parts, including tree-shaped frames having a plurality of arms, a series of crossbars, and a lid frame. Each tree-shaped frame is mounted to a different crossbar. Each crossbar is coupled to the vehicle. Support frames are attached to the arms. The lid frame may be pivotally attached to any of the support frames. The cover is attached to the framework and extends over the lid frame to form a lid. Persons traveling in the vehicle are concealed when the lid is closed.
In one embodiment, at least two of the tree-shaped frames have a vertical post. In another embodiment, the blind is collapsible. In one embodiment, each arm of the tree-shaped frames is pivotally mounted to the vertical posts and each tree-shaped frame is pivotally mounted to a different crossbar. When the blind is collapsed, each arm folds against the vertical post and the entire tree-shaped frame folds to a side of the vehicle.
While one possible application of the present invention is in connection with a boat, many other applications are possible and references to use in connection with a boat should not be deemed to limit the uses of the present invention. The terms xe2x80x9cblind,xe2x80x9d xe2x80x9ccover,xe2x80x9d xe2x80x9cframe,xe2x80x9d xe2x80x9clid,xe2x80x9d xe2x80x9carm,xe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cbracketxe2x80x9d as used herein should not be interpreted as being limited to specific forms or shapes of a blind, cover, frame, lid, arm, or bracket. Rather, the blind, cover, frame, lid, arm, or bracket may have a wide variety of shapes. These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description, claims, and accompanying drawings.